heart

heart

a. The chambered muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from the veins into the arteries, thereby maintaining the flow of blood through the entire circulatory system.

b. A similarly functioning structure in invertebrates.

2. The area that is the approximate location of the heart in the body; the breast.

3.

a. The vital center and source of one's being, emotions, and sensibilities.

b. The repository of one's deepest and sincerest feelings and beliefs: an appeal from the heart; a subject dear to her heart.

c. The seat of the intellect or imagination: the worst atrocities the human heart could devise.

4.

a. Emotional constitution, basic disposition, or character: a man after my own heart.

b. One's prevailing mood or current inclination: We were light of heart.

5.

a. Capacity for sympathy or generosity; compassion: a leader who seems to have no heart.

b. Love; affection: The child won my heart.

6.

a. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated.

b. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food.

7. A person esteemed or admired as lovable, loyal, or courageous: a dear heart.

8.

a. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district.

b. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable, such as a heart of palm.

9. The most important or essential part: get to the heart of the matter.

10. A conventional two-lobed representation of the heart, usually colored red or pink.

11. Games

a. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards.

b. A playing card with this figure.

c. hearts(used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure.

d. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts.

tr.v.heart·ed, heart·ing, hearts

1. Slang To have great liking or affection for: I heart chocolate chip cookies!

2. Archaic To encourage; hearten.

Idioms:

at heart

In one's deepest feelings; fundamentally.

by heart

Learned by rote; memorized word for word.

do (one's) heart good

To lift one's spirits; make one happy.

from the bottom/depthsof (one's) heart

With the deepest appreciation; most sincerely.

have (one's) heart in (one's) mouth

To be extremely frightened or anxious.

have (one's) heart in the right place

To be well-intentioned.

heart and soul

Completely; entirely.

in (one's) heart of hearts

In the seat of one's truest feelings.

lose (one's) heart to

To fall in love with.

near/close to(one's) heart

Loved by or important to one.

steal (someone's) heart

To win one's affection or love.

take to heart

To take seriously and be affected or troubled by: Don't take my criticism to heart.

to (one's) heart's content

To one's entire satisfaction, without limitation.

wear (one's) heart on (one's) sleeve

To show one's feelings clearly and openly by one's behavior.

with all (one's) heart

1. With great willingness or pleasure.

2. With the deepest feeling or devotion.

with half a heart

In a halfhearted manner.

[Middle English hert, from Old English heorte; see kerd- in Indo-European roots. V., sense 1, from the use of a heart shape to represent the verb love, originally between the letters I and NY in merchandise meant to be read I love New York.]

heart

(hɑːt)

n

1. (Anatomy) the hollow muscular organ in vertebrates whose contractions propel the blood through the circulatory system. In mammals it consists of a right and left atrium and a right and left ventricle.

2. (Anatomy) the corresponding organ or part in invertebrates

3. this organ considered as the seat of life and emotions, esp love

4. emotional mood or disposition: a happy heart; a change of heart.

5. tenderness or pity: you have no heart.

6. courage or spirit; bravery

7. the inmost or most central part of a thing: the heart of the city.

8. the most important or vital part: the heart of the matter.

9. (Cookery) (of vegetables such as cabbage) the inner compact part

10. (Forestry) the core of a tree

11. the part nearest the heart of a person; breast: she held him to her heart.

12. a dearly loved person: usually used as a term of address: dearest heart.

13. a conventionalized representation of the heart, having two rounded lobes at the top meeting in a point at the bottom

14. (Card Games)

a. a red heart-shaped symbol on a playing card

b. a card with one or more of these symbols or (when pl.) the suit of cards so marked

15. (Agriculture) a fertile condition in land, conducive to vigorous growth in crops or herbage (esp in the phrase in good heart)

16. after one's own heart appealing to one's own disposition, taste, or tendencies

[Old English heorte; related to Old Norse hjarta, Gothic hairtō, Old High German herza, Latin cor, Greek kardia, Old Irish cride]

heart

(hɑrt)

n.

1. a muscular organ in vertebrates (four-chambered in mammals and birds, three-chambered in reptiles and amphibians, and two-chambered in fishes) that receives blood from the veins and pumps it through the arteries to oxygenate the blood during its circuit.

2. any analogous contractile structure in invertebrate animals.

3. the center of the total personality, esp. with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion: In your heart you know it's true.

4. the center of emotion, esp. as contrasted to the head as the center of the intellect.

5. capacity for sympathy; feeling; affection: His heart moved him to help the needy.

6. spirit, courage, or enthusiasm: I don't have the heart to tell him; to lose heart.

7. the innermost or central part of anything: in the heart of Paris.

8. the vital or essential part; core: the heart of the matter.

9. the breast or bosom.

10. a person (used esp. in expressions of praise or affection): dear heart.

11. a conventional shape with rounded sides meeting in a point at the bottom and curving inward to a cusp at the top.

12. a red figure or pip of this shape on a playing card.

13. a card of the suit bearing such figures.

14. hearts,

a. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) the suit so marked.

b. (used with a sing. v.) a game in which the players try to take all the hearts or to avoid taking tricks containing any of them.

15. a strand running through the center of a rope, the other strands being laid around it.

v.t.

16. Archaic.

a. to fix in the heart.

b. to encourage.

Idioms:

1. at heart, in reality; fundamentally; basically.

2. break someone's heart, to cause someone to be devastated by sorrow or disappointment.

3. by heart, entirely from memory.

4. eat one's heart out, to grieve inconsolably.

5. have a heart, to exhibit compassion and mercy.

6. have at heart, to have as a fundamental motive.

7. have one's heart in one's mouth, to be extremely anxious or fearful.

8. have one's heart in the right place, to be well-intentioned.

9. in one's heart of hearts, in one's private thoughts or feelings; deep within one.

10. lose one's heart to, to fall in love with.

11. near or close to one's heart, of great interest or concern to one.

heart

(härt)

1. The hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the body of a vertebrate animal by contracting and relaxing. In humans and other mammals, it has four chambers, consisting of two atria and two ventricles. The right side of the heart collects blood with low oxygen levels from the veins and pumps it to the lungs. The left side receives blood with high oxygen levels from the lungs and pumps it into the aorta, which carries it to all of the arteries of the body. The heart in other vertebrates functions similarly but often has fewer chambers.

2. A similar but simpler organ in invertebrate animals.

heart

- As the seat of feeling and intellect, heart has been used since around 825.

Heart trembling a little like the door for Elijah the Prophet —Yehuda Amichai

A heart without affection is like a purse without money —Benjamin Mandelstamm

Her heart divided like two wings —Carson McCullers

Her heart sank like a wounded bird —Ellen Glasgow

His heart ached like Niagara Falls —Frank O’Hara

His heart is like a viper, hissing and spitting poison at God —Jonathan Edwards

His heart … like the sea, ever open, brave and free —F. E. Weatherly

His heart sagged in its net of veins like a rock in a sling —George Garrett

His heart swelled up in his throat like a toad —Oakley Hall

His heart was open as the day —Anon ballad, “Old Grimes”

The human heart is like a ship on a stormy sea driven about by winds blowing from all four corners of heaven —Martin Luther

The human heart is like a millstone in a mill: when you put wheat under it, it turns and grinds and bruises the wheat to flour; if you put no wheat, it still grinds on, but then ‘tis itself it grinds and wears away —Martin Luther

A man’s heart is like a sponge, just soaked with emotion and sentiment of which he can squeeze a little bit out for every pretty woman —Helen Rowland

A man’s heart, like an automobile, is always apt to skid and ditch him just at the psychological moment when he thinks he has it under perfect control —Helen Rowland

My heart clenched like a fist —Charles Johnson

The fist comparison is also effective for describing a grim, pinched facial expression.

area, country - a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography); "it was a mountainous area"; "Bible country"

hub - a center of activity or interest or commerce or transportation; a focal point around which events revolve; "the playground is the hub of parental supervision"; "the airport is the economic hub of the area"

inner city - the older and more populated and (usually) poorer central section of a city

medical center - the part of a city where medical facilities are centered

midfield - (sports) the middle part of a playing field (as in football or lacrosse)

seat - a center of authority (as a city from which authority is exercised)

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.